Conservationists have unveiled plans to preserve and protect the world's most important species of coral, in a response to increasing threats that they say will lead to "functional extinction" within decades.
Led by scientists at the Zoological Society of London, the Edge Coral Reefs project has identified 10 coral species in most urgent risk of becoming extinct.The scientists say that reefs are under pressure from a variety of threats including rising sea temperatures due to climatic instability, increased acidity(酸性), overfishing and pollution.
The Edge plan, which focuses on the most evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered species , will take a regional approach to conservation.This means focusing on the "coral triangle" around the Philippines, the West Indian Ocean around the Mozambique channel, and in the Caribbean channel.
"Coral reefs are threatened with functional extinction in the next 20-50 years, due predominantly to global climatic instability," said Catherine Head, coordinator of the reefs project."In these regions, we'll be supporting and training in-country conservationists to carry out research and implement targeted conservation actions," she said."Their projects will last initially for two years.We provide them with a whole host of tools to carry out their projects including funding and intensive training." She added.
Coral reefs are the planet's most diverse marine ecosystem(生態(tài)系統(tǒng)), known as the rainforests of the oceans.Despite taking up under 0.2% of the ocean floor, they provide food and shelter for almost a third of all sea life.If we lose the ecosystems, we lose not only the biodiversity (生物多樣性), but we also lose the capability of people to obtain income and food from coral reefs.
Climatic instability, which leads to rising sea temperatures, causes corals to bleach.Bleaching occurs when sea temperatures rise and this causes the coral tissue to expel their symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae - these are what give the coral their colour.Bleached corals often die if the stress continues.Among the 10 species chosen to start the Edge project are the pearl bubble coral, a food source for the hawksbill(玳瑁)turtle, and the Mushroom coral, which supports at least 15 brightly colored fish.
【小題1】What does the first paragraph mean in the passage ?

A.Conservationists planned to preserve and protect some extinct corals years ago.
B.Conservationists have banned plans to protect endangered corals for years.
C.Conservationists are going to protect corals that are dying out in several ten years.
D.Conservationists have made plans to protect corals from being extinct in ten years.
【小題2】What will probably happen to coral species with the increasing threats?
A.Decrease. B.Losing functions
C.Disappearance. D.Existence
【小題3】Which of the following statements about the Edge Plan is TRUE?
A.The Edge Coral Reefs project was carried out by American scientists.
B.The plan concentrates on the channels to protect the endangered species.
C.The Conservationists have carried out the Edge plan for many years to protect the corals.
D.Ten coral species chosen by the project are at the greatest risk of becoming extinct.
【小題4】Which of the following will be the consequence of coral extinction in the passage?
A.We will keep the balance of the marine ecosystems.
B.About one third of the marine species can't survive.
C.Man can benefit more from corals.
D.We will lose the rainforests on our earth.
【小題5】What is the best title of the passage?
A.Climatic Instability and Coral Extinction
B.Reasons for Coral Functional Extinction.
C.A Plan to Save Coral from Extinction
D.A Research about Endangered Coral Reefs.


【小題1】C
【小題2】C
【小題3】D
【小題4】B
【小題5】C

解析試題分析:文章介紹一項計劃,旨在保護海洋的珊瑚免于滅絕,說明珊瑚滅絕的原因和因此導致的后果。
【小題1】句意理解題:第一段的句子:Conservationists have unveiled plans to preserve and protect the world's most important species of coral, in a response to increasing threats that they say will lead to "functional extinction" within decades.意思是:保護主義者要保護幾十年后要滅絕的珊瑚。選C
【小題2】細節(jié)題:從第一段的句子:increasing threats that they say will lead to "functional extinction" within decades.可知面對這么多的威脅,珊瑚種類有可能滅絕,消失,選C
【小題3】細節(jié)題:從第二段的句子:Led by scientists at the Zoological Society of London, the Edge Coral Reefs project has identified 10 coral species in most urgent risk of becoming extinct.可知這個項目選出有十種珊瑚最有可能滅絕。選D
【小題4】細節(jié)題:從第五段的句子:Despite taking up under 0.2% of the ocean floor, they provide food and shelter for almost a third of all sea life.If we lose the ecosystems, we lose not only the biodiversity (生物多樣性), but we also lose the capability of people to obtain income and food from coral reefs.可知珊瑚滅絕的后果是三分之一的海洋物種都不能生存,選B
【小題5】主旨題:從第一段的句子:Conservationists have unveiled plans to preserve and protect the world's most important species of coral, 可知這篇文章講的是保護珊瑚的計劃。選C
考點:考查環(huán)保類短文

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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

Can we give a hand to those endangered animals? Yes, we may only do a little bit, but together our small actions add up to a lot.
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Perhaps the greatest threat that faces many species is the widespread destruction of habitat. Cutting down forests, farming, and development all result in loss of wildlife habitat. In areas where rare species live, habitat destruction can quickly force a species to extinction. By protecting habitat, entire communities of animals can be protected together naturally. Parks and reserves are now all too often the only habitats that are left untouched by habitat destruction.
2. Reduce the threat of invasive (入侵的) species.
The spread of non-native species has greatly reduced native populations around the world. Invasive species compete with native species for resources (資源) and habitat. They can even prey on native species directly, forcing native species towards extinction.
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4. Slow down when driving.
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【小題1】 What would be the best title for this passage?

A.How animals go to extinction
B.The importance of protecting wildlife
C.What to do to help save wildlife
D.How to protect wildlife habitat
【小題2】By writing the underlined sentence, the writer means that _____.
A.more parks and reserves should be built
B.we should have more habitats free of destruction
C.there is a need for improvement in parks and re-serves
D.parks and reserves are good examples of protecting wildlife
【小題3】People are advised to put decals on windows to _____.
A.decorate the houses and beautify the environment
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C.a(chǎn)ttract more birds to make homes nearby
D.a(chǎn)void birds hitting the windows by mistake
【小題4】The underlined phrase “prey on” in the passage means _____.
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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

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【小題1】What does the writer want to tell the readers in the first paragraph?

A.Hospital emergency rooms always treat injured fingers. 
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D.It is important for us to be able to tell how serious a finger cut is. 
【小題2】According to the passage,         .
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A .How a wound bleeds can show us how serious the wound could be.
B Venous bleeding will often stop when we put pressure on the wound.
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【小題5】.The best title of this passage should be         .
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A.a(chǎn)nthropologists can study the structure of human stomachs by studying their teeth.
B.a(chǎn)nthropologists can study the diet of early humans by studying their teeth
C.a(chǎn)nthropologists can learn whether humans were healthy by looking at their teeth
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China's Central Meteorological Station urged people to close doors and windows, and cover their faces with masks or scarves when going outside. Sensitive electronic and mechanical equipment should be sealed off, the station said in a warning posted Monday on its Web site.
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A.South Korea seldom issues nationwide dust advisories.
B.Taiwan is 1,600 miles from Beijing.
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【小題1】What problem should be settled now in London?

A.How to protect the city’s property
B.Where to build its flood defences
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A.increasing population and coal-fired power stations
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C.extremely high temperature and rising sea levels
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【小題4】The purpose of the passage is      
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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

NOT all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives trying to forget bad experiences. Violence and traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional scars. Often they relive these experiences in nightmares.
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The research has caused a great deal of argument. Some think it is a bad idea, while others support it.
Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldiers' troubling memories after war.
They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories.
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【小題1】The passage is mainly about              .

A.a(chǎn) new medical invention
B.a(chǎn) new research on the pill
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D.a(chǎn)n argument about the research on the pill
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A.cause the brain to fix memories
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C.prevent body producing certain chemicals
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【小題3】We can infer from the passage that           .
A.people doubt the effects of the pills
B.the pill will certainly stop people's emotional memories
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D.the pill has already been produced and used by the public in America
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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

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Some people think that such a project is too huge for humans to undertake, but there are very good reasons to make the attempt. The earth now contains some 6 billion people, and no one has any idea of how many humans the earth can support. Our very existence and numbers are threatening many other species. We also have had some experience with terraforming our own planet: altering the landscape, the atmosphere and the climate. Currently terraforming earth has become a wiser activity as we try to control global warming, air and water pollution, and preserve some natural living places.
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The future existence of all the people in our world may very well depend upon our ability to terraform Mars.
【小題1】What would be the best title for this passage?

A.Terraforming Mars. B.Saving the Earth 
C.Travelling to Mars. D.A Newly-found Place 
【小題2】What does the underlined word “altering” mean in the second paragraph?
A.Warming. B.Changing. C.Planting. D.Building 
【小題3】According to the passage the main purpose of terraforming Mars is to ________.
A.do some scientific research work 
B.find out its similarity to earth 
C.a(chǎn)void the dying away of many other species 
D.find on Mars living place for the increasing human beings 
【小題4】The main reason for causing many people to consider terraforming Mars is that _______.
A.there are some resemblances between Earth and Mars. 
B.terraforming Mars is theoretically simple 
C.we have had some experience with terraforming our own planet: Earth 
D.the development of science and technology is very rapid 
【小題5】What’s the author’s attitude towards the project?
A.Optimistic. B.Negative 
C.Sceptical(懷疑的) D.Objective. 

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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

Based on new analysis, we are rapidly approaching major climate change and the effects on society and the environment could be quite severe. Geographers predict that within the next eighty years, current world climate zones could shift and some could completely disappear. Polar regions will get colder while tropical regions will get even hotter, forcing animals to migrate  (遷徙) north.
Climate changes like these could lead to the spread of diseases. Tropical storms and hurricanes will not only increase but may also become more intense. If the changes come too quickly, animal and plant species may not be able to adapt fast enough and could disappear.
According to Science Daily, a new study predicts that by the year 2100, many of today’s familiar climates will be replaced by climates unknown in today’s world. It is urgent that we reduce the risks of these far-reaching consequences for the whole world. The planet itself has been showing signs of change. In 2004, a serious tsunami created by a major earthquake killed thousands in Sumatra and in 2008, thousands died in China because of another severe earthquake. Egypt was hit in 2009 with a major earthquake and Haiti was devastated in 2010 by yet another massive earthquake.
Within just the last few months, new reports from around the world have been coming in and most agree that our climate situation is much worse than previously thought. At this point, it doesn’t matter what is causing it, but rather, what can be done about it. What’s more, our world is getting more and more unstable every year. There is war and threat of war everywhere. Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and serious.
However, other planets are experiencing global warming as well as our own and some scientists believe there may be some connection between this. No one knows anything for sure at this point because there is simply not enough data.
【小題1】 Which of the following would be the best title for the Passage ?

A.Ways to protect our planet. B.Solutions to climate change.
C.Be prepared for climate change. D.Climate change and its effects.
【小題2】 What is the author’s purpose in using the examples of earthquakes?
A.To show the damage earthquakes caused.
B.To remind people to prevent future earthquakes.
C.To show major changes are taking place on the planet.
D.To tell us more earthquakes will happen in the future.
【小題3】 What does the underlined word “devastated” in Paragraph 3 mean?
A.Separated. B.Destroyed. C.Removed. D.Affected.
【小題4】 What can be inferred from the Passage?
A.Animals and plants won’t die out as long as climate changes slowly.
B.There’s enough data for us to predict the future of climate change.
C.The world is getting more unstable because of animal migration.
D.The earth is not the only planet that is experiencing climate change.

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